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Carne en su Jugo

4 to 6 Servings

1¾ hours 45 minutes active

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Carne en su jugo, or “meat in its own juices” translated from the Spanish, is from Jalisco state on the west coast of central Mexico. It’s a stewy, brothy meal in a bowl that, as its name suggests, derives its hearty, meaty flavor from beef simmering in the juices it releases as it cooks. Just a handful of other ingredients play supporting roles. The version of carne en su jugo shown to us by Paola Briseño-González includes tangy, vegetal tomatillos and takes the unusual step of pureeing a little of the sautéed meat with the aromatics to add body to the broth. Commonly used cuts for the dish are flank and skirt steak, but we prefer boneless short ribs, as they contain the right amount of flavor-enhancing fat and pack tons of meaty richness. The beef is cut into small pieces before cooking; freezing it for a few minutes firms it up so it’s easier to slice. For convenience, we used canned pinto beans instead of starting with dried beans, and we add them near the end of cooking so they spend some time in the broth turning tasty without becoming too soft. Carne en su jugo loves garnishes. In addition to the ones called for in the recipe, we like to spoon on some salsa macha. It’s a non-traditional pairing but an incredibly delicious one.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t use a Dutch oven, as the surface area is too wide. A large pot with a smaller diameter is the better choice. We intentionally crowd the beef in the pot so the meat readily releases its juices and the juices remain in the pot rather than cook off.

1¾ hours

45 minutes active

Ingredients

  • pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed

  • 2

    tablespoons worcestershire sauce

Directions

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Reviews
Erik J.
September 10, 2022
Typing this as I eat…
This is an amazing dish. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted in Mexican cuisine and I love it. It’s simultaneously super beefy, but also vegetal, spicy and bright. Lime juice and salsa macha are perfect additions.
John M.

I made this recipe today exactly as written and thought it was very good indeed! I used an 8-inch dia. Dutch oven and the stew came up to just a couple of inches from the top. Perfect. I loved the subtle flavor that was unenhanced by the spices usually used in Mexican cooking. The flavor of the beef and tomatillo sauce really came through well, and the stew thickened up nicely with the addition of the beans as noted. I'll definitely be making this one again in the future. Thanks, Ms. Hill & Milk St. team!

Donald N.

This was delicious. I made the recipe exactly as written this afternoon. I can't imagine how flavorful the leftovers will be because it was packed with such strong beef flavor the day of making it. Highly recommended!